Too Close - TVD & Originals - A Kol Mikaelson story
by thewrittenshadow
Summary: I'm rating this M/MA for future content. There will be explicit scenes, and language that are not suitable for younger teens. This is a story about love, friendship, betrayal, history, and magic. It centers around Kol Mikaelson and Kriss L'butaunt (OC), but the entire Mikaelson family is in it. Kol/OC, Elijah/Hayley, Klaus/Caroline, Rebekah/OC, Rebekah/Marcel, Marcel/Camille.
1. Chapter 1

** - CHAPTER ONE -**

**-Louisiana, Present day-**

* * *

**=ELIZA=**

The three witches gathered around a pit in the ground. They looked at one another, "Are you sure this is the right thing?" the smallest one asked hesitantly.  
She looked about 14 to Eliza, who crouched in a tree about ten feet away. "What other choice do we have?" Eliza turned towards the oldest looking witch, she appeared to be in her twenties, but it was a little hard to tell in this light. "We could just ask one of the Originals that's already in the French Quarter," the smallest one was speaking again. Eliza's head began to throb with the power gathering and emanating out from the three girls. "You know that won't work; they hate witches," scoffed the middle girl, Eliza estimated her to be in her mid to late teens. The smallest girl huffed, "they don't hate us they just don't trust us, and why should they. Were out here doing this behind their backs, but they brought the witches back to the Quarter." The oldest witch shook her head and looked almost sad to Eliza, "No Kaleen, he was the only Original to sympathize with our kind through the ages, we must bring him back." Kaleen, Eliza surmised was the youngest of the three for she wilted a little bit at the older witch's words.

They began chanting then, their words weaving together like a song. A song older than time itself, reaching into the air taking energy from it. Eliza felt her vision shrink a little, almost becoming tunneled towards the three witches. She could feel energy rising around her from the trees, the earth, even the water from the bayou. Her skin felt pinched and she almost found herself falling towards them. She caught herself before she took a nosedive out of the tree, and readjusted her crouching position into a more secure and relaxed sitting one. She shook her head a little bit hoping to shake off some of the tugging sensation wrapping around her brain. Power infused everything around her, and she could swear she smelled it in the damp humid air.

Their chanting became louder and louder, and then light began pour into the pit before them. Curious as to where the light could be coming from Eliza climbed higher, hoping to see into the pit from above. Almost at the top of the tree Eliza leaned out, wrapping one leg around the trunk and wedging the opposite foot into the crux of a branch. She saw it then; the light seemed to pour in from the very air particles within the pit, like their chanting had somehow given it power and life all its own. Suddenly the energy shifted. It poured downwards with the light into the ground. It seemed to fuse with the very dirt below the witches, causing it glow and dance. They linked their arms then, and began an almost dance like movement around the pit.

Eliza could barely breath the energy was so thick. The chanting and dancing seemed to weave together, causing a mirage of flowing limbs and bodies. A cracking sound began to emanate from the ground below the witches. It rose higher and higher in pitch and intensity. Eliza leaned back into the tree trunk and covered her ears; she was convinced that later she would find blood on her hands. A giant burst of light shot out from the pit and almost immediately evaporated into the air around the witches.

Everything stopped then an almost unearthly silence came with it. Eliza gingerly removed her hands from around her ears and noticed that there was in fact a little blood on her right palm. _Great_, she thought, _now I'm going to be deaf in that ear for a while._ Shaking her head a little, she leaned back out of the tree to try and see why they had stopped. She gasped, it was him he was there, but how could that be? She had heard from very reliable sources that he had been staked, with white oak no less. He was supposed to be a pile of ash somewhere, not a whole body below her. Was the spell she just witnessed a summoning spell, or a reincarnation spell. The latter was very strong and very dark magic.

_ This can't be possible_, she angrily spat within her mind, _Vampires can't be brought back. Unless… _She paused, thinking back to what professor Shane had told her once about forbidden dark magicks, and how although rare could be used by either very powerful witches or a small coven of them. She mentally shook her head, regardless of how, or even why. He was here, and now that Eliza was actually looking closely he was naked. Eliza felt the warmth rising in her cheeks. He always was a handsome devil, with or without clothes. Seeing him like this eyes closed, not a stich of clothing, almost vulnerable, she remembered the last time she had seen him.

* * *

It had been 1896 Johannesburg, around mid-summer. The heat and bugs had been stifling. The rising animosity between the British Empire and both the Boer's and the Uitlander groups was leading towards war. The British Empire was imposing a strict rule on its citizens and general unrest was rampant. Magic was also overflowing in abundance. The European migrants had brought with them their magicks, and they mixed and mingled with the native African variations. He had come to the city with one of the ships bringing more European Migrants to farm and manage the land a year before. As a young girl she had spent most of her time in and around the dockyards and shipping ports, as her father was a shipping manager for the East Indian Trading Company. She had spotted him almost immediately, his dark hair and strong features calling of a time long past. His eyes had mesmerized her, their depth and hidden shadows speaking of untold secrets and knowledge. She had been sixteen then.

The last night she had seen him though she was no longer a shy curious girl of sixteen. She was a woman of seventeen who had seen death, experienced it, and was enraptured by the one who had shown it to her. He had looked so peaceful laying there in the tangle of sheets and pillows, she was supposed to go with him to the Americas on the morning tide. She remembered snuggling into the scent of him and wrapping her arms around his chilled torso.

* * *

Her eyes turned hard as she stared down at that same body below her, all warm feelings evaporating. That had been before she had woken up in an empty room, to find that the ship had left without her. Leaving her undead, unwed, and alone. She had never expected to see him again, but she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. She smiled bitterly, "So we meet again, Kol Mikaelson."

A/N Please feel free to leaves reviews or opinions on the story, I would love to hear feedback from you guys.

A/N I'll be posting a new "chapter/segment" once to twice a week. I'm hoping to get it pretty regular; like every monday and wednesday, or tuesday and thursday. We shall see though.


	2. Chapter 2

**- CHAPTER TWO -**

****Three Months Earlier****

**-New Orleans, Louisiana, French Quarter-**

* * *

Hayley stared sightlessly out into the courtyard of the Mikaelson's town-mansion. She sat in a rocking chair slowly easing it back and forth. This would have been Hope's room, would have been, Haley thought to herself. Genevieve was dead, by her own hand and the two girls Abigail and Monique were dead as well, however the knowledge did nothing to ease the hollow feeling in the pit of her being. Her baby instead of being in her arms was somewhere out of reach with her aunt. It had been the best move to make, she knew, with the new threats from the Guerrera werewolves and the continued threat from the witches. It was her responsibility as a parent to take care of the mess she had made before bringing her daughter into her world. She would have a happy loving home, nothing less.

Lost in her thoughts Hayley didn't hear the almost silent creaking from the door behind her as it opened, or the almost equally silent footfalls of the man who entered. "Excuse me, I hope I'm not intruding," Elijah's words came out softly, and with a note of affection. Even in her deadened state Hayley could hear the tones clearly, and her heart reacted. She felt a small spiral of warmth begin in her chest, and she fought to push it down. It wasn't right to feel pleasure when she had a war to clean up, and a home to ready for her daughter. She couldn't let herself feel anything but the emptiness and rage she had to stay focused.

"Elijah," she said continuing her slow rock and steady gaze out the window, "you're not intruding." She heard him move forward, and saw from the corner of eye that he balanced himself against the chest of drawers adjacent to her. "I came with news of Hope," he said watching her closely. The mention of Hope's name got Hayley's attention, "what news?" Her eyes shifted from the window to Elijah's face. To anyone else he would have seemed almost stoic and unfeeling, Hayley knew better. She could see the concern etching into the corners of his eyes, and the affection softening his lips. Again she felt the warmth beginning to bloom inside of her and she stubbornly ignored it. "Rebekkah brought her to one of our oldest homes in Estonia. She says that Hope is settling in nicely, and that she is happy. I can assure you that she will be safe there."

Hayley nodded and turned back to the window, she believed Elijah, but she knew that her baby would never be safe, or completely loved until she sorted out this mess and had her back in her arms. It wasn't right separating a baby from her parents so soon. She could sense more than hear Elijah's restlessness across from her. She knew he wanted her talk to him, to tell him what she was thinking and feeling. He wanted to comfort her and help her, to be with her through this. She couldn't open up to him yet though. She could barely handle everything going on within her mind let alone talk about it. What she needed was to do something, to start fighting and planning and taking action. However they had all agreed to take some time to show their mourning and grief before taking action. It was the best strategy she admitted.

Finally Elijah cleared his throat slightly, "If you need anything Hayley, don't hesitate to ask. I'll be in my study." He rose and moved next to her raising a hand towards her cheek stopping a breath away from her skin. His hand seemed to hover there for an eternity as he contemplated whether he should make contact or not. He must have thought it better to not touch her for he left then, leaving Hayley to her silence and empty heart.

* * *

Davina smirked at the frustrated Mikael, "What do you mean do your bidding? Who exactly do you think you are little witch?" He spat at her eyes sparking and glaring. "I think I'm the witch who brought you back. Don't worry you'll get your chance to kill Klaus soon, " she said shrugging. Leaning against the wall she looked over the father of the Originals. He was warrior, and his very countenance spoke of countless ages. The Originals gave off a similar impression, but it was less stark and out of time and place. "First I need you do a few things for me, not much just a little reconnaissance, a few killings, and putting a few people in their places. After that Klaus is all yours." She smiled sweetly at the vampire, how ironic she thought, after killing all of his children and creating the vampire race he then spent his entire vampire existence trying to kill at least one if not all of them. Mikael snarled at her, "what a petty little child you are. What exactly would you have me do little witch?" Davina grinned, "First we're going to let the French Quarter Coven know that there's a new leader and show them exactly what I'm capable of."

* * *

Esther shook out her arms and groaned a little bit, "this new body is so ridged," she looked at her companions. They shrugged, "it is to be expected, it will loosen up over time." She nodded stiffly, "alright down to business, we have a lot to accomplish. Where are my children, and were is Klaus's child?" The two witches shared a glance, "your children are in their town-home in the French Quarter. They're putting on a show of their grief and mourning. Supposedly the child is dead." Esther looked at them sharply, "They're lying. The child is alive, I can feel her, and she is still connected to my family. I can't sense where it is though, a very powerful cloaking spell is hiding it from me." The two witches looked at each other again, "We don't even know where to start looking for her." Esther gave them a disgusted look, "start by trying to find anyone who may have seen or heard anything about a child leaving the city." She became quiet then thinking, "I will contact some old connections I have, and perhaps one of them can break this cloaking spell, or tell me who created it. I don't have the strength yet to do that kind of magic on my own." She looked at the two witches again, "go, now and find me any information you can. It's time that I found out what Elizabeth Corrso has been up to for the past century."

* * *

Cami ran blindly through the almost empty streets of the French Quarter trying desperately to keep the tears at bay until she reached her home. Running up the steps to her apartment and scraping the key into the lock she stumbled through the door. She almost immediately collapsed onto her bed and began to sob uncontrollably. _It's all my fault_, she thought to herself as the tears came without restriction. _If I hadn't been trying to help some stupid petty war the baby wouldn't be dead. I can't believe I let myself get caught up in this mess. I'm just a graduate student. _As she continued to cry she didn't hear or notice the open door behind her.

Marcel stood just outside of it listening to her sobs. He should go to her and comfort her, but how could he? He was the one who had brought her into this world. If it hadn't been for him and his war with Klaus her uncle would still be here, and she wouldn't be taking all of the blame on herself now. He stood there hesitating, not sure whether to enter or leave, she would never know he was there. _No, I can't leave her like this,_ he thought to himself before pushing the door completely open and entering the apartment. She didn't hear him enter, or close the door behind him before he walked to her side. "Cami," he said quietly, and her sobs stopped for a brief moment. She looked up at him, "Marcel I," she choked out. He shook his head, "quiet now," he climbed on the bed next to her and embraced her shaking form, "just let it all out, I'm not going anywhere." She began to cry again, this time with more power. They lay wrapped together until she fell asleep around dawn, and long after.

* * *

**-Mystic Falls, Virginia -**

Elena stood next to the car as Caroline began to shove things into the back of it. "Are you really leaving?" She asked her best friend her hands knotted in front of her. Caroline looked up from the bag she was trying to fit into the tiny space between her sleeping back and suitcase. "Yes, Elena, I need to go. I've been feeling uneasy about all of this Klaus business for months. I need to figure this out, and the only way I can do that is by facing it head on." Elena looked at her with a questioning expression, "If that's how you feel I'm not going to stop you, but I really don't think that going down to New Orleans is the best solution. I mean, you could just call him. It's summer, we should be swimming and drinking, and forgetting drama, not chasing it." Caroline looked at her friend and smiled, "Yes, it is summer, which is why it's the perfect time to go on vacation, to one of the most interesting cities in the country. Don't worry I'll be back before classes start in the fall." She winked at Elena and shoved the trunk closed, pushing most of her weight on the door to close it completely.

"Seriously, don't worry, what's the worst that could happen?" Elena rolled her eyes, "oh I don't know you getting caught up in some epic Klaus drama and winding up trapped, stuck or worse dead." Caroline scrunched up her nose, "Sheesh Elena, I can look after myself." "I know," Elena admitted, "alright, give me a hug before you go, and promise me you'll text everyday." Caroline embraced her in quick fierce hug, "I promise, see you in three and half months!" After letting Elena go Caroline climbed into the driver's seat and rolled down the window. "Don't get into to much trouble while I'm gone!" Caroline shouted back at her friend as she waved out the window. "I make no promises!" Shouted Elena at the departing car.

* * *

A/N; Sorry, about the grammar mistakes here and there. I write my fanfiction in one continuous stream, so I miss a lot of silly "their and there," type errors and commas etc. I try to get them after I'm done, but I still miss some. Thank you for reading past them.

A/N; Sorry for the lack of Kol action XD he will be back in the next chapter, I just wanted to get the backstories caught up.

A/N; Again please feel free to leave any comments or opinions you may have on the story so far I love to hear feedback!


	3. Chapter 3-1

**- CHAPTER THREE PART ONE -**

**-Interstate 85, Alabama, Present Day-**

* * *

**=KRISS=**

"Dammit," Kriss hissed under her breath as she punched at the radio buttons. Rain cascaded in sheets down the car windows around her, creating the illusion of a watery cell. She had been driving for almost twelve hours now, and her back and knees were beginning to ache. "C'mon, I know you want to work for me," she crooned at the radio, hoping that this time the inanimate object would respond, or just work. It had been giving her problems since she had left Virginia that morning. She just needed to replace it but money had been tight since the funeral.

Sighing she slouched to her side slightly trying to dig on the floor in front of the passenger seat without taking her eyes off the road. Her fingers snagged on ropy construct and she grabbed at it. "Yes!" she squeaked as she drew the cable up towards her. "AHAHA, I'll show you radio, thought you'd beaten me eh?" she laughed as she fumbled one end of the cord into the aux input on her dash. She was so happy she'd had it installed two years ago when she'd graduated. Plugging the other end into her iphone she surreptitiously looked at the phone screen and the road at the same time opening her music player. She knew all the songs by heart and flipped through them searching for the one she had playing her in head without having to look at the screen.

As the first strains of Marylin Manson's version of Tainted Love beat through the car speakers she sighed and relaxed into her seat. She was only about an hour away now and the rain appeared to be easing up slightly. She let her mind wander as she saw the "Welcome to Florida," signs on her right. She flipped through the past week's events and went back over her mental checklist. About a week ago today, which would have been last Saturday, she had received her assignment, The Order, having modernized to the times sent their agents texts instead of the carrier pigeons originally used. She always laughed a little at that part of their history, it reminded her of something out of Assassin's Creed™, secret assassins getting hits via carrier pigeon.

The message had been a simple one, although the subsequent mission was anything but; "Go to Mystic Falls Virginia and find out what you can about the Bennet Line and the magic's surrounding that town. Then head south to Lousianna, we have reason to believe that the Original Family is breaking some laws." What she had discovered in Virginia had been disturbing, magic being used indiscriminately, the borders between our plan and the Other Side tampered and Fussed with. It was just a reminder of how forgiving The Order had become over the centuries. They now allowed the supernaturals of the world to mostly govern themselves, however when one, or a group of them, truly stepped out of bounds it was their job to intervene.

Unbeknownst to most of the supernaturals today, The Order oversees and polices them, and they have since the late 1100s. They were originally a Knightly order first created during the cursades to fight against the unholy. They became the construct they are today after the fateful day their founder met one of the, "Original Family" and saw for his own eyes the raw power they could wield. Since then The Order has grown and many divisions exist, they have three main branches, Werewolves, Witches, and Vampires. Each branch handles the supernaturals that fall within, responsible for maintaining the order and peace so that the human world remains oblivious to their existence. Within each branch there are agents of varying abilities and backgrounds. There are witches, werewolves, and vampires within each, as well as hunters, trackers, and a variety of researchers and scientists.

Kriss was in her own right a very skilled vampire hunter. Her parents had come to the states from Paris about ten years before she'd been born, her mother a skilled and powerful witch and her father a long descendent of a prestigious vampire hunting family. They had both been transferred from the Paris headquarters in order to get out of some mess created by their families. Kriss had never been able to get the full details and both of them avoided the subject whenever she tried to bring it up. Although her hunting skills were above average, Kriss was primarily part of the research and recognizance section of the Vampire branch. Upon seeing the state of the magicks used in Mystic Falls she had called in one of her old friends, Henry Greeves a very powerful witch and hunter from the Witch branch to look into and fix the obvious breaches in Order Law. She knew he would go easy on the offenders simply because they didn't know that the Laws existed.

Kriss narrowed her eyes and gave a little annoyed huff towards her superior's; she disagreed in their hands off attitude and their lack of informing the supernatural communities of both their existence and their laws. How were they supposed to maintain any kind of order if the very people they're keeping in-check don't even know they're there. Shaking her head she focused on the road again, she had found one bit of important information on her trip to Mystic Falls, someone a distant off shoot of the Benett family, a not very powerful member, had gotten their hands on a very powerful spell, one which they took with them to Louisianna. On her own Kriss doubted that the little witch could cast the spell, but if she had friends with a bit more power, or even a coven behind her… Kriss shuddered at the possibilities.

The first thing on her checklist after finding a hotel and checking in was to pay the Mikaelson family a visit. She wasn't sure of the extent of their involvement in the matter she was now chasing, but her superiors seemed to think they were at least ankle deep in it. She knew that if nothing else they might be aware of or be able to point her in the direction of someone who was involved. She doubted that someone could show up in their neck of the woods with a spell meant for resurrecting vampires without them hearing about it.

* * *

A/N : I broke this chapter into two parts because of it's length.

A/N : I will be (trying) to update the story every monday, and thursday. I may update again on Saturday some weeks, depends. Also this may change once the fall semester starts next month as I'm not sure how much my class work load will be.


	4. Chapter 3-2

**- CHAPTER THREE PART TWO -**

**-Louisiana, Present Day-**

* * *

**=KOL=**

Voices trickled into his ears somewhere from his left. He felt something hard and metallic beneath his fingers as he tried to move them. They were stiff and didn't respond. What was going on had his brother daggered him again? Everything seemed hazy and foggy, his memories a jumbled mess. Something wasn't right; trying to call out to the voices he opened his mouth but no sound emitted from his dry and aching throat. Where was he, and what was going on? He couldn't seem to piece anything whole together, shards of fragmented memories sifted through his consciousness.

He stood on a battlefield covered in blood; he licked the line covering his lower lip and smirked. The air around him was saturated in chaos, and the heady essence of life flowing out of wounds soaking into the earth lit the fire behind his eyes. He lived for this, for the fear and madness; he loved to play puppeteer and watch as the ants in human form scurried around believing themselves in control. He breathed deeply immersing himself in the moment then he heard her, and smelled her. Lilies, white lilies carried on a red wind. He turned towards the sent, his hair sticking and catching to his eyes. Annoyed he swiped at the tendrils as he searched for the perplexing and intoxicating aroma.

She sat amid the mess of tangled limbs and lifeless bodies, humming to herself. She couldn't have been more than four maybe five, an innocent in a light lilac woolen kirtle and cream tabard. Her dusty grey cloak lined with ermine soaked up the blood around her. She picked Antirrhinum's seemingly oblivious to the gore around her. He stood their immobilized as he watched her hair, a light flaxen blonde, stream out of complicated braids atop her head. He wondered how she had gotten there, and what she was humming to herself. He willed his limbs to move towards her, forcing himself out of the spell that she seemed to weave around him.

The smell of lilacs and cinnamon grew more pungent the closer he got to her; he reached out his hand towards her, wondering if she was just a mirage. She turned then her face uplifting towards his her ice blue eyes piercing through his soul, "You do not belong here anymore, you need to go back now," her words were like feathers in his mind, touching lightly before blowing away on an invisible breeze. He frowned down at her, she hadn't opened her mouth, and yet he had heard her words clearly. What did she mean? Her eyes grew shaper as the bored into him, "You do not belong her anymore, go back," she repeated within his mind's ear.

Suddenly the horizon shifted sending him into a dizzying and sickening spiral, when his senses righted themselves once more he stood in a kitchen. Pinned down by a girl, he knew her name but he couldn't grasp it, his skin burned from the vervain that had sprayed across him. He saw the hunter _Jeremy_ a voice whispered through him, yes, Jeremy… Jeremy Gilbert he had come at him with a stake, a white oak stake. He tried to push the girl off him, but he couldn't, and then fire. Blackness enveloped his vision.

He was a child again, sitting next to his mother helping her sort through herbs and making brews and tonics for the villagers. She smiled down at him, "how is my magical boy doing today?" She asked touching his face with the tips of her fingers. Some day he would be like his mother, powerful and connected to the earth. His brows furrowed, no, this wasn't right. She was gone, and he was no longer connected to the ebb and flow of the natural world, he was a vampire now.

Pain radiated from the tips of his fingers through his arm. In another dizzying swirl he sat across from his sister in a small restaurant. A human boy sat next to him, "I see you recovered from my death with little hardship dear sister," she winced at the intoned words, and looked nervously at her human companion. "Where is Elena? I have plans for her, and I would really like to discuss them in person," he looked at the human who gave Rebekah a sidelong glance, _Elena_… that was the girl's name. Everything cracked, and he stood in front of Elena again, trapped in a little room, he lunged at her wanting desperately to rip at her skin, and then he was gone. He could still see her but he couldn't touch her. He was alone.

A gray mist enveloped him and he was looking at the human boy again _Matt_ the same voice whispered through him again. He was explaining how the Other Side was disappearing, and the consequences of it. He pleaded with the boy to do something, to say something. He tried to be reasonable but time was wearing out and the fear of loosing himself into nothingness gripped and strained on his heart.

Pain ripped through his head as light streamed into his eyes. It was piercing and heavy seeping into his fragmented memories and piecing them together creating a patchwork quilt of moving pictures. He remembered now, he remembered everything. Where was he now? Was he gone, could this be what nothingness was, no, he couldn't be gone; he hurt to much to be gone. Where then? The voices were becoming clearer and closer now.

"He's stirring, I can feel it," a small voice, female, it sounded whispery. Magic. He could smell it, they had magic, and there were three of them. He could hear their heartbeats picking up tempo with each step they took towards him. He was so hungry, but he resisted the urge to tear and mangle their flesh, he needed answers. "Can he move?" another voice, this one more steady, her heartbeat skipped and bounced just as much as the other two, but she was better at hiding it. Older, he presumed. "I put him under a containment spell, at least for now, he shouldn't be able to move more than his eyes until I lift it." The third voice, there was a light quaver but he could hear the steel behind it.

Knowing now why he couldn't move he relaxed a little, magic, he was back. He didn't know how or why, but he had escaped the fate of disappearing. Relief sharp and poignant seeped through his aching veins. He opened his eyes then, they moved fraction by fraction until they were full open, adjusting to the dim light around him. He was in a cave, moss and water trickled down the sides leaving puddles of greenery and inky liquid on the floors. Three girls of varied age stood next to him, they were all simply dressed in denim and tank tops. The oldest couldn't have been past her early twenties. He tried to open his mouth, but it refused to budge. His brows furrowed in frustration as he attempted to pin the girls in their depths.

"Oh, no, you can't control us," the oldest one said her confidence obvious in her stance. "Hello, Mr. Mikaelson," the youngest girl said politely as she inched her way closer to his face, "We're terribly sorry for the state that your in, but we had no choice. The other side was dwindling fast and desperate measures had to be taken." He tried to convey the question that was pressing down on him through his eyes at the three witches. The middle witch, the one who had placed this containment spell on him answered his unasked query, "We need you, you see. You're not exactly a warlock anymore, but we know that you are still close to our kind. We need you for the battle that's about to begin, forces that shouldn't be used or awaken are taking their place on the chessboard. We need you to be our knight; we need you to be the bridge between our kind and your siblings. We need you Kol Mikaelson."

* * *

A/N : Hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 4 will be be uploaded tomorrow ~

A/N : Medieval Fashion ; (since it won't let me post the link, look up 1300-1400 fashion on wikiepedia for the short explanation)


	5. Chapter 4

**- CHAPTER FOUR -**

**-Louisiana, Present Day-**

* * *

**=ELIZA=**

Eliza stared at the cave opening, straining to hear the whispers that managed to escape into the night. She shivered as the possibilities before her raced through her mind. He was here, whole and alive; she had seen his chest expand as his lungs had filled with air just moments before in the pit just through the trees to her left. The young witches had been completely oblivious to her presence, Kol she knew would sense her soon enough once he got a whiff of her. He however had smelled slightly different to her. She could smell a spice, a whaft of something unfamiliar about him, as she had followed the three girls to this location. They had labored together to half drag half carry him to this small cave that dipped down into the murky ground. Creepers and Willows swayed and danced in the muggy breeze.

She hated it here, the thick overwhelming humidity and the stifling smells of animal and decaying wild life. She much preferred the city, and the sea. However when the Original Witch had summoned her, she stifled her discomforts for the chance to appease her curiosity. She was glad she had, this new discovery was well worth any annoyance she now felt. She desperately wanted to simply charge into the cave and either subdue the witches into telling her what they were up to, or simply steal Kol thus thwarting whatever their plan was and gaining the chance to have Kol in her possession to do with what ever she wished. If she wanted to steal him however she would have to do it soon, before he wakened. Once he was conscious it would be hard to subdue him even if he hadn't had blood recently.

There had been a time when she had dreamed that he still loved her, or had ever loved her. She had dreamed of finding him and having a life with him. That dream had died long ago though and now she simple dreamed and fantasized about vengeance and pain. Pain she would inflict on his body and his mind in order to give him even a taste of the pain and betrayal he had forced upon her.

She was nothing if not a patient person however and she stayed herself from acting on her impulses. She knew that to follow them would lead to disappointment and disaster. So she would be patient, soon he would be in her grasp. She crept closer to the cave opening now, hearing the slight change in the cadence of the three voices within. Something had happened, or someone had woken up. The spice she had smelled earlier became slightly stronger, and she wondered what could have caused it. Straining she tilted her nose into the wind hoping to get a better handle on the strange scent.

It pulsed on the breeze, almost like a living thing stretching and entwining with the air particles around it. It was as intoxicating, as it was exotic and Eliza couldn't even begin to name the threads comprised within it. Then the sweet spices of Kol's scent vanilla and cloves began to sift through the breeze to her. So this smell was coming from him, but how, and why? It reminded her of magic, but that couldn't be right.

The three little witch's voices began to even out and she caught some of what they were saying, apparently Kol was awake and they had him under a containment spell. So at least one of the three had some power even without the other two. She tried to hear anything else, but the three girls had become quieter. Sighing inwardly, she admitted defeat when it was before her. Creeping back into the shadows she got as comfortable as she could. She would wait, for as long as she needed and then she would follow. Once she knew where they would be keeping him long term she would report back to Esther.

* * *

**=KOL=**

Kol squinted at the three girls; _they need me, but why?_ What is going on, what war are they talking about? Had he been disconnected for that long? Was there simply something he was not remembering? Perhaps, he allowed, he wouldn't be surprised if whatever they had done to bring him back had left some holes in his memory. One thing was for certain; he was in the south, somewhere. The three girls all had thick accents, creole if he wasn't mistaken. He wished he could talk, just so he could ask them some questions. His mouth however remained fixed shut and didn't seem inclined to move any time soon.

The smallest of the girls spoke then, "I'm sorry Mr. Mikaelson, but we can't let you speak yet. We still need to explain some things before we can allow you to interrupt." She took another hesitant step towards him, "Your siblings don't know that your back yet, no one does. They started a war while you were gone, they didn't really mean to but it involves the witches, the vampires here and some very powerful very old werewolf families."

The eldest girl scoffed at the younger one, "Didn't mean to? His older brother, Klaus, was double crossing the witches the entire time, he had planned on making and giving moon rings to all of the werewolves, which would have made them virtually unstoppable. The fact that they happened to lift a very old curse on another very powerful and dangerous werewolf clan is completely beside the point. If he hadn't been working behind the backs of everyone in the first place then the situation that allowed that curse to be broken never would have happened."

The young girl glared at the older one, "If Genevieve and her two crazy fan-girls hadn't been dead-set on listening to Esther's wako schemes from the Other Side, then they wouldn't have stolen Klaus's baby and set his siblings completely against us."

Kol's eyes shot open a little bit further after that piece of news. So his mother was still meddling. He sighed heavily within his mind. Why was she so hell-bent on killing off her children, perhaps she should have thought a little bit more before she made them immortal to begin with. Before she had robbed him and his sister of their link to natural world. He had never completely forgiven her for that.

The middle girl stopped her foot then, "Enough, both of you!" she nearly shouted at them. Every eye in the dimly lit room turned towards her, she seemed to shrink a little from the attention. She coughed slightly before continuing, "It doesn't matter who started this war or why, what matters is that his siblings won't listen to us, even Elijah turned us away..." she trailed off and looked shyly at Kol.

He thought it was a little amusing listening to them talk about him and his family as though he wasn't there. If only he could remind them that they had paralyzed his body and mouth, not his ears. He was curious as to why Elijah wouldn't listen to them though, he was always the most level headed and reasonable of their family. Where was Rebekah, he wondered, she always seemed to lean an ear towards the witches. One of his question;s was soon answered though.

The youngest of the three looked at him again and sighed, "We need you to go and speak to your siblings on our behalf. Someone brought your mother back from the Other Side. We don't know where she is, or in what body, but we felt her leave the Other Side four months ago. We can only guess as to what she's going to try to do now that she's back on our plane. We also don't know who has been brought back other than you two. We wouldn't be surprised if some other souls managed to get out before the Other Side collapsed." She took a deep breath before continuing. "We also need you because as Jeann said, Elijah won't listen to us because he's in love with the mother of Klaus's child. Who as I mentioned was almost killed by witches, and they also kind of killed her mother, the one Elijah's in love with, temporarily, she came back..." She looked sheepishly at the floor before continuing, "So they're not really our friends right now."

Jeann, the middle witch, piped up then, "We also need to let you know something else before I let you out of containment, when we brought you back something unexpected happened. You see," she hedged, "when the Other Side collapsed it released an unusual amount of magic, and some of it returned to the earth, and some of it returned to those who used to keep it." She seemed to hesitate then.

The eldest girl shot Jeann an annoyed glance, "What she means is that some vampires who were once witches regained their powers. We aren't completely sure why, but you should know that you were one of them. You're one of a new breed of vampires this world has never seen before. A vampire who can control magic."

* * *

A/N: Sorry about last week everyone, my life was a bit crazy, in order to make up for it though I'm publishing three chapters tonight (there are two more to follow*)


	6. Chapter 5

**- CHAPTER FIVE -**

**-New Orleans, Louisiana, Present Day-**

* * *

**=KRISS=**

The rain had finally begun to subside as Kriss pulled into the well-worn parking lot of a Best Western. The hotel was conveniently located just outside the French Quarter, where she knew the Original Family had put up residence. She squinted, reclaimed residence? She wasn't sure what the proper wording would be in that instance. Shrugging she parked her car outside the hotel lobby. The place looked like it had seen better days, but Kriss wasn't sure in what year that might have been. It had one of those timeless motel vibes about it. Slightly decayed, just on the border of creepy.

Wrangling her purse from its hiding spot behind her seat she yanked on the door handle. A little shimmy later and she was walking around the front of her Pontiac. The thing was older than she was, but it still ran, and that was all that mattered to her. The artic blast that greeted her sent her stumbling back a step as the automatic doors swooshed open in front of her. Stepping inside she let the cool dry air envelope her and she sighed in contentment. Nothing like being in a swamp to remind a person how glorious modern technology and central air truly were.

The man behind the desk looked as old as the building he managed and Kriss eyed him slightly warily. He looked like the kind of guy you'd find at one of those "Cash Only," motels, not a well-known chain, but looks, as she knew could be and often were deceiving. She leaned a little bit on the front desk while she secured herself a room for the next two weeks. She may end up cutting her trip short, or she may have to extend it, wasn't sure yet. However two weeks seemed like a good place to start.

The room key was a faded yellowing white with script across it that had long since worn away. She cringed a little inside just contemplating what lye in wait on the other side of the door this key belonged to. If it were anything like the rest of the place she wouldn't be spending much time in it. She slid back into the drivers seat and popped the car around the back of the motel to a parking space much closer to the room she would be occupying. Just looking up at the graying structure made her long for the quaint B&B she had stayed in while visiting Mystic Falls.

She girdled herself and grinned up at the building grabbing what bags she could fit onto her two arms. Home, Sweet Home. At least for the present moment, anyway, and it was very reasonably priced for the area, so no matter what its condition she really shouldn't complain. Three flights of stairs later and a quick pause halfway down the open hallway she finally made it to her new residence.

Gingerly she opened the door tensing as if a snake or worse would suddenly pop out of thin air and just attack her. She knew that her imagination had run wild with that, but she couldn't seem to contain it. She could feel the magic sing around her. This entire city was buzzing with it. It mixed and mingled with the undertones of supernatural that seemed to just ooze from the very soil around her.

What greeted her on the other side of the portal was a pleasant and welcome surprise. The room was tidy, neat, and well maintained. Whoever owned the establishment had obviously put all of their revenues into maintaining the room interiors instead of the exteriors. Kriss grinned to herself; she decided she liked the place.

Setting herself to unpacking and organizing her equipment, computer, and travel necessities into the various homes she created for them around the room, she let herself hum a little her mind drifting. She would head over to the Mikaelson's town-mansion once she was done here and begin her inquires. After all no one else was going to do the work for her, and the sooner she got to the bottom of whatever was going on the sooner she could get back to her life.

Many might think her life was a tad on the boring side; she tended to follow up on leads, do scouting and map strategies for use against one of the many supernaturals she was in charge of following, researching, and maintaining within the status quo. She didn't mind the lack of adventure though. She much preferred staying in her comfy home than traipsing about the country; her back and knee still ached from the long drive.

Sifting through the Guest Services booklet on the side-table she picked out one of the nice creole seafood joints just down the street from the Mikaelson's. She decided that dinner was the second destination of the night. Braiding her hair up she inspected herself in the poorly lit bathroom mirror. Her dark almost blue-black eyes stared back her, hinting at an exotic side to her she had never bared witness to.

She reapplied her mascara and eyeliner, and checked her braids. Two separate French-side braids that she then brought together into one braid down her back. Her hair was the color dark-sunkissed saffron, and light liked to bounce off of it in fractals of rainbow-laden light. Satisfied with her appearance she slipped on her red polka-dot converses, ripped skinny jeans, nude camisole, and a red polka-dot sleeveless see-through over tunic complete with a double breasted set of ruffles and little gold buttons down the front completed with a collar around her throat.

Looking down at her hands she realized she didn't have her jewelry on, she usually took it off when she was taking long drives. Something about bracelets and rings that just got more annoying the longer your arms and hands had to grip and re-grip a leather wheel. She found her small silk jewelry bag at the bottom of her larger clothes duffle. Doing a quick rummage through it she found her family signet ring, which she slipped on, and a pair of tiny ruby drop earrings. She decided to put those on as well, _might as well break out the decent stuff it's not every day you get to meet The Original vampire family … or at least what's left of it_, she thought to herself.

She noticed the half on, half off state in which her nail polish seemed to be sort of covering her nails and she inwardly sighed. She couldn't remember the last time she had decided to put the stuff on. Judging by the dusky color of the remaining chips she assumed a while ago. Deciding to just chip the rest off on her way she double checked everything in the room, made sure she wasn't leaving anything that didn't have an insurance policy on it behind and let herself out into the early evening.

* * *

A/N : There is still one more chapter I will be publishing before sunrise on wednesday here in the eastern United States. (sorry about the wait on them)

A/N : Also a random shout out to my lovely reviewer, thank you for the wonderful comments it made my day a bit more sunny. =) (yea, that's right, you get a smily face. What?)


	7. Chapter 6

**- CHAPTER SIX -**

**-Louisiana, Present Day-**

* * *

**=KOL=**

The three girls crowded around him, the youngest of the three was the closest to his face. He could smell mint and tea-tree oil exuding from her. She wasn't someone he would normally consider a meal, but he was so hungry, it was hard to keep the pictures of her mutilated flesh out of his mind. Her skin was color of fresh peaches after rain, and her eyes were still innocent. He longed to capture that innocence and make it his own. He reigned in his fevered imaginings then. He was letting himself fall into a very dangerous hole.

He instead tried to focus on what the three of them had said to him moments before; he had magic. He was both excited and terrified in equal measures. The power he felt flowing through the elements around him was intoxicating, but what did this mean? Everything in nature was balanced, in order for there to be vampires with magic there had to be an equal if not more powerful foe or counterbalance. He inwardly shuddered at the possibility. He had tried so hard to keep things balanced, the lengths he had gone to in order to keep Sylus and his ilk from tipping the scales. He had wound up dead, and all because those who were younger and more foolish decided to disregard his wisdom. If he could have he would have snickered at the result of their brash actions and impatience, look at where it had gotten all of them.

He had indeed ceased to be a warlock at the age of twenty-four when his father had run him and his siblings through with his sword. However he never lost his appreciation and devotion to the natural order and laws that governed their world. In this he had indeed unfailingly sided and protected if not aided the witches around him throughout the centuries… that wasn't going to stop him from eating one however.

Especially if she kept moving closer, he could almost see her pulse beneath her thick young skin. He began to tense and could feel himself becoming aroused. Cursing his body and its needs, it had been too long he was hungry, and not just for food. He was, he admitted many shades of grey, but he didn't eat and bed children, not anymore anyway.

He grimaced inwardly, not since her; she had been such a beauty; such fire had lit her soul. She had bounced before him in her frock ignoring the warnings of the sailors as she danced around the docks. Her amber colored eyes had reflected the sun and her Chesnutt curls had captured his soul if only for a short while. He gave her the only gift he knew how to give once he realized that her feelings were much deeper and purer than his. He gave her eternal life, well he didn't personally, but he arranged it. He had vowed after that fateful incident to never woo or succumb to the lure of the innocent.

This innocent was hell bent on testing his resolve however. She crept closer still leaning in slightly so her long inky tendrils brushed across the top of his head. If he could have moved he would have reached out to stop her. If he could have spoken he would have snarled at her ordering her to step away from him. As it was though all he could do was lay there and watch as her face moved closer and closer to his. The realization hit him like a ton of unseen bricks. She was going to kiss him. He didn't know why, he hadn't even spoken to the girl, why she would wish to kiss him was beyond him. It also seemed strange to him, one second they were all explaining what he needed to know before they released him and now he was being kissed?

She stopped less then a breath away from his lips and whispered, "This will only take a second Mr. Mikaelson." Then her soft lips touched his, it wasn't a romantic, passionate, hungry or well anything in-between sort of kiss. It came across to him as more of a business arrangement then an intimate exchange, which just confused him more. Then he squinted up at the girl who was quickly backing up to join her two compatriots. This had to do with a spell. There were several spells that needed intimate proximity in order to take hold, and thus were hard to place on unwilling subjects. The fact that she refused to make eye contact with him and instead stared at the floor only increased his suspicions. What spell had the young witch placed on him, and how annoying would it turn out to be?

"I'm sorry Mr. Mikaelson but we couldn't think of any other way to insure that you don't double cross us. Don't worry the spell won't harm you in anyway, it just binds you to me, magically. That's the only magic I'm really good at," she blushed again and stared at her feet.

The eldest witch looked at him, "The spell will keep your magic linked to Kaleen until she lifts the spell. Which means that you can't leave New Orleans without suffering severe pain, and if you should choose to betray us Kaleen can bind your magic and control it, in other words use it against you. We trust that it won't come to that, however we want to make sure that precautions are in place." He hoped that conveyed his understanding through his eyes, seeing as they were still the only appendage he could move.

He got the impression his message had reached them because Jeann turned to the eldest one before asking her question, "Are we ready? He knows everything he needs to, and we need him to get over to his siblings home before the party starts." The eldest witch gave a curt nod and then Jeann raised her hands. She began to chant slowly and confidently under her breath. The tempo of her words crept higher with each syllable.

The invisible force pinning him to the stone slab he rested on began to ease, ever so slightly. He tried wiggling a toe, eventually he thought he saw a small tremor. Slowly the pressure surrounding him moved up and off. He still felt heavy though. His neck didn't want to respond to him and so he simple glared over at the three girls and spoke as calmly as he could, "Would one of you care to explain why I'm having such a hard time moving?"

The three of them exchanged glances and then Jeann shrugged, "probably just the effects of you know, coming back from the dead. You just need to get your body moving again."

Kaleen brightened, "Like patients that come out of Coma!"The eldest witch turned to her, "Yes, Kaleen, sometimes the things you say don't give your intelligence great credit."Kaleen glared back at the girl, "and some of the things you say make you look like a giant bitch."Jeann gasped, "Kaleen!" Kol groaned, "As amusing as listening to the three of you banter, I would like a bit more information while I try to get my limbs moving again."

Three heads snapped towards him then, and Kaleen looking sheepish smiled at him, "Sorry, I got a bit carried away." She straightened up then and he could tell she was trying to look more mature and older, it wasn't really working out for her, but he was curious as to the reason. "I have been given the task of helping you! I really didn't have much of choice you see," she said in a philosophical tone, " Jeann helps her mother in their shop all day and Elsbeth is taking summer courses over at the University." She shrugged. The other two gave her withering looks, "Kaleen, you really didn't need to give him that much information." Elsbeth, the eldest of the three, was definitely bordering on control freak level in Kol's estimation.

He audibly sighed, "Alright, first of all, what is this party that I'm supposed to be getting to?" Kaleen smiled, "It's for Caroline. Klaus's girl, I think you've met." Kol laughed a little, "Yes, I've met her, charming little thing. I see my brother's patience paid off." Kaleen coughed a little, "Anyway they're having a big bash for her, something like a coming out party. It's to kick off a week of events their hosting for everyone in the quarter. They're trying to show the community that they're not scared of anything. At least that's why I think their doing it." She shrugged. "There's one party to open the week and Masquerade Ball to finish the week. In-between are just music and art and food things."

Kol put every ounce of his will power into trying to move his toes. He thought he saw a little wiggle. "Alright ladies, I'm going to need blood if you want me to go anywhere in the near future." Elsbeth held up her hand. "I've got you covered," he wondered momentarily if she was going to offer herself, but then she dipped below him and pulled out a cooler, "I've got O negative and B positive. They're the only ones I could grab on short notice."

"O negative is fine," he said slightly disappointed. "You'll need to open it and put the tube end in my mouth though." She looked a bit disgusted but did what he asked. Stepping back she gave him a curt nod, "If that's all we'll leave Kaleen here and head back, it's getting late and I'm Jeann's ride." She turned to leave then but stopped at his next question.

"I'm sorry if this seems impertinent, but would one of you mind telling me where I might find some clothes?"

* * *

A/N : Alright, well the sun rose an hour ago, so I kinda uploaded this on time ... I hope you enjoyed reading it!

A/N : WELP chapter seven will be up on thursday ~


	8. Chapter 7

**- CHAPTER SEVEN -**

**-New Orleans, Louisiana, French Quarter, Present Day-**

* * *

**=Kriss=**

The gates that closed off the Mikaelson's courtyard from the street were open, and a the smell of lavender drifted out to her. Kriss stood there on the street staring at the gates, wondering if she should just walk inside or if she should call for someone, or look for a doorbell. She'd never entered a home like this before and she didn't want to make a bad impression before she even got started.

As she continued to waver between options she caught sight of a giant bush coming towards her. The thing was nearly as tall as she was, and the giant bulb of leaves and flowers on top of it obscured whoever was carrying it. As a result it almost appeared as though the bush was floating towards her, suspended by a magical thread.

Stepping backwards she narrowly avoided getting bulldozed by said magical bush. A petite woman in worn overalls appeared behind the bush as it passed. Her graying hair was pulled into a tight bun and she looked like the world had been pushing on her for quite a while. Her smoky grey eyes snapped to Kriss as she suddenly caught sight of her, nearly dropping the bush in the process.

"Oh, hello, I didn't see you there, hazards of being a short florist. Excuse me I've got fifteen more bushes to carry." The woman politely gave Kriss a head tilt as she continued into the courtyard. Kriss was intrigued by the new situation, wondering why it was that the Mikaelson's required bushes, she acknowledged that they were probably just redecorating. Shrugging she followed the woman into the courtyard.

She was taken aback by what she saw as she entered the stone covered yard. Tea lights strung around every balcony, and up the stair railings. Bushes strategically placed around the outside of the square and small fairy light bulbs hung from each one. Silver strands of beads glinted in the dying light as they hung across the top of the yard. There was a bar being setup on one side and a small stage large enough for a small string ensemble or band being setup to the right behind the arches that shielded the open hall that encircled the area. A petite blonde stood on the stairs directing traffics and commanding workers. Her hair was done up in an intricate top knot.

Kriss just stood there dazed, the place looked like a fairy garden come to life. Snapping back to reality Kriss admonished herself, _Party. It's got to be a party. _ She studied the blonde, her sky blue eyes reflected intelligence and her stance exuded authority; this was a girl who was used to being in charge and to getting her way. She smelled of blood Kriss noticed and she wondered if this was Rebekah the famous Mikaelson daughter.

Gathering her professionalism around her like a cloak Kriss squared her shoulders and headed towards the stairs. "Excuse me, I was wondering if you knew where I could find Klaus or Elijah Mikaelson?" she called to the blonde. Even if she wasn't a Mikaelson herself she was obviously in charge and would probably be the most likely to be of help to her.

The blonde stopped talking mid sentence and sharply turned her eyes to Kriss, they narrowed slightly as she gave her the once over. "Who are you?" she asked with little preamble. "Krisslin L'butaunt, I'm with The Order, and I'm hear, under orders to speak with either Klaus, Elijah, or both." The blonde's eyes became speculative, "The Order? I've never heard of it," she shrugged slightly, "Elijah is in his study and Klaus is in his room, which one would you like to see?"

Kriss thought about it for a second. She had heard that Klaus was the pack leader of the Original siblings, but she had also heard the Elijah was more of a business man than his brother. She also frowned on meeting one of them for the first time in their bedroom, it just made her feel a bid uneasy. Deciding she called out as firmly as she could manage, "I'll speak with Elijah then, if it's no trouble."

The blonde shrugged again, "It's no trouble to me, you may not receive a warm welcome from either of them though. Follow me," at that she turned on her heal and climbed the rest of the staircase pausing at the top to wait for Kriss. Kriss quickly scampered up behind her dodging a harried bar tender and two more bushes. Once she gained the landing she followed the girl around the corner and down the open hall. The arches along the side looked down into the courtyard and the scene looked even more magical from above.

They stopped at the far corner of the right wall that formed a giant square around the courtyard. The blonde turned to her, "This is Elijah's study, knock before you go in, not that he doesn't already know you're here." Kriss shuddered at the reminder of how adept Vampire's hearing was. As the girl began to walk past her back towards the stairs Kriss asked, "I'm sorry I never got your name." The blonde half turned and gave her a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Caroline Forbes, I'm sure we'll meet again," with that she was off again.

Kriss raised her hand to the door and knocked slightly, feeling her breathing catching lightly in her throat, _oh god here we go. _Over the four years she'd been an active member of The Order she had never met a vampire as old or as prestigious as any of the Original family, and Klaus and his elder brother were by far the most famous of them. Straightening her back as much as she could without breaking her spine she reached for the door's handle as she heard the soft, "Please, come in," in accented tones drift through the wood's panels.

The study was warm, and colored in browns and deep colors. There was a small bar to her right just within the entrance and bookcases lined each wall. Leather and brandy mixed to form a masculine smell that permeated the room. A tall man in grey suit pants and a starched white collard shirt sat on loveseat, with a book open in his lap. She noticed how two of the buttons on his shirt were undone and no tie was to be seen. A matching coat lay over the back of leather chair to his right. He had short dark hair, and Kriss couldn't tell the color of his eyes, as they remained fastened on the tomb in front of him. He had a lean figure and strong high cheekbones. It occurred to Kriss, somewhere in the back of her mind that he would have appeared handsome if she hadn't been so on edge.

She took a step further into the room, unsure of where to sit, or how to preceed when the man took the first step for her. He looked up and Kriss was a little taken aback by the rich warm brown that colored his eyes. The depths of them spoke of a reserved kindess and secrets. His eyes looked curious, no hint of anger or aggression touched them. "You have come to see me or my brother? Who did you say you were again? I'm sorry I was a bit distracted when you arrived," he waved absently at the volume in his lap.

She coughed, "Krisslin L'butaunt, I'm here on business from The Order," she simply walked a little further into the room still feeling on edge and unsure of herself. Elijah tilted his head slightly as he studied her, "Ah, The Order, I haven't heard from them in almost a century." A veil seemed to drop over his eyes as they became more distant and hard to read, "Please, have a seat."

Kriss sat in the closest seat available and cleared her throat, "as you know, we try to not inter-fear too heavily with the day to day activities of supernaturals throughout the world. However we have gotten word that laws are being broken here in New Orleans, and The Order believes you or one of your siblings has a hand in it." She looked him square in the eye and tried to appear as professional as she could manage in front of the thousand year-old-vampire.

Elijah sat up a little straighter and closed his book, placing it on the small table covered in papers before him. He leaned back on the couch and raised an eyebrow at her, "What exactly does The Order think we're up to? Or should I say, what laws they think we're breaking?"

Kriss's eyes slid to the floor momentarily as she gathered her courage. She really hoped that this brother had a better temper than his very famous sibling. Meeting his eyes again she continued, "I'm not one to just point fingers, but if you're not involved I was hoping that you may be able to at least point me in the right direction." She took a steadying breath before continuing, "You see, it has come to The Order's attention that someone has not only gained access to but has used or will use a very old spell constructed by the originator of the Bennett line. A spell to resurrect the dead, including vampires."

* * *

**=KOL=**

The small witch was beginning to grate on his nerves. She seemed to talk incessantly as she led him through the French quarter towards his family's old home. He hadn't been there in over a century, and it was the last place he'd seen before he'd been daggered in 1910, funny how life seemed to go full circle.

The first thing he noticed as they came down the street nearing the front entrance to the residence was the sheer amount of people hurrying in and out. They carried an almost endless stream of plants, and liquor. He noticed three of them were carrying large coolers between them, and he smiled slightly, _definitely a vampire party. Too bad Klaus's pet frowns upon live donors._ Perhaps he could sneak away and find a willing victim after he paid his brothers his respects.

He was curious about this Hayley he had heard about, and was interested to find out what his siblings had been up to while he'd been gone. He'd been so fixated on watching Elena and her brother; he hadn't bothered to look in on them. Suddenly he realized the Kaleen had ceased speaking and he belatedly wondered if she was waiting for a response.

Dragging himself out of his thoughts he looked over at the girl, "I'm sorry, what was that?" She pouted slightly, "I asked if you were excited to see your family again?" Kol shrugged, "I suppose, it has been a small while since I last saw them. I'm sure it will be no small shock to see me alive."

Kaleen nodded at his response and went back to talking about the quarter and the people and places within it. Kol tuned her out again, as they approached the gated entrance. He turned slightly to Kaleen then, "Did you wish to come with me, or is this where we part ways?" Kaleen danced a little with apprehension, "I'll leave you here, no offense but your brothers scare me a little and I know they won't be happy to see a witch in their home. If you need me here's my number," she handed him a small scrap of paper, bobbed slightly and quickly walked down the street towards the witch section of the quarter.

He took a deep breath in as he surveyed the building. _Home._ He thought, before all of this thoughts scattered into the evening wind. Lilies, white lilies, on a red wind, they stung his nose and seemed to taunt him. He stiffened. This smell, where was it coming from? He looked around, peering at all of the flower arrangements and humans passing by. Not a lily in sight. He tried to shake off the slight sense of unease. Trying to convince himself it was just one of the worker's perfume or some hidden flower arrangement.

Narrowing his eyes he walked briskly into the courtyard. It had been transformed, rather nicely he admitted, into a very elegant party scene. Amid the chaos stood Caroline directing and commanding those around her in one of the best displays of control he had seen in awhile. She reminded him of a commander moving his troops around the field. Each carefully placed topiary was a life or death formation. He smiled slightly at her; she seemed to have settled in nicely.

She must have caught his scent for she turned sharply and stared at him. Her eyes growing at least three times their size. She dropped the clipboard she was holding and let out a small gasp, "But, how? I saw your body… you're dead." She just stared at him for what felt like ages before she seemed to drag herself out of whatever memory she was reliving. She shook her head, "Seriously, how are you here?" Her eyes narrowed and her voice laced with tension, "If you even think about going after Elena or Jeremy I'll kill you again."

He laughed, "You are feisty one," a devilish grin played across his face, " I see why my brother likes you so much." He winked, "Don't worry your friend's are safe," he shrugged, "for now." A door burst open above and behind him and he turned slowly, as he smelled Niklaus's scent on the wind.

His brother stood there staring at him, "brother, am I dreaming?" Kol grinned, "No Niklaus, I'm here, and alive. A bit of magic helped." At that another door to his left opened, this one not as quickly or forcefully and he smelled Elijah, as well as Lilies. He turned sharply, his eyes narrowing.

Both of his brothers caught his sudden shift in temperament and went slightly rigid. "Elijah, so glad to see you again. It's been awhile, tell me, who is that with you?" The girl standing next to his brother captured and held his attention. She looked about twenty-three, twenty-four. Her hair, an interesting shade shimmered in the light. He noticed her eyebrows were platinum, _Dyed_, he surmised. Her dark blue eyes looked at him, curiosity lighting their depths. Her cloths looked casual but neat and with a punk-flair.

He was so engrossed in the shadows moving within her eyes that his brother's voice sounded like it was coming from under-water, "This is Krisslin L'butaunt, and I believe she's here because of you." If he hadn't been so distracted he would have jumped on his brother's words, but as he was he could only stare. The woman's face was almost beautiful with her strong cheekbones and narrow jaw. It wasn't her appearance although captivating that held him so enthralled however; it was the scent of white lilies on a red wind.

* * *

A/N: Sorry I said thursday, but I meant friday ;_; - yay our hero and heroin finally meet.

A/N: This chapter is really long because I just couldn't not give you both parts of it. It didn't feel right. Also sorry for all and any horrible grammar mistakes and wrong words. I wrote this in one long stream and I'm really tired. I will go back over it tomorrow and fix things.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it, and stay tuned for chapter 8 on monday/tuesday!


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